


A Night of Baseball

by Zippit



Category: 24
Genre: Gen, POV First Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-02-04
Updated: 2007-02-04
Packaged: 2017-10-12 04:54:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/121013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zippit/pseuds/Zippit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony takes Jack to a Cubs game; Tony POV, set post season 1</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Night of Baseball

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt:** [TamingtheMuse](http://tamingthemuse.livejournal.com) #28 - A penny saved is a penny lying worthless in the drawer

Rainy promises aren't worth much when you aren't alive to make good on them. I guess that's why I'm here with Jack.

It's a two hour drive from L.A. to San Diego. I always go to the Cubs games at Dodgers Stadium since I can live with seeing the rest on TV. I'm not that much of an obsessed fan. I get enough flack about the ever present cup on my desk but hey, a guy's gotta do what he can. But here I am in San Diego since tonight's an exception.

The game started at four and it was the opener. The ride down was silent even though Jack was right there next to me. The only signs of life from him had been a quiet hello and a brief scuffle over the radio station. He'd objected to the music and switched to another station. I switched it back. It went back and forth for a while and resulted finally to shoving. A startled laugh was wrenched free and it made me smile.

Jack Bauer was still in there, just deeply buried. I hadn't heard him laugh since that day.

I figured the game would end sometime around seven, but I booked us hotel rooms anyway. I was splurging just being down there, might as well go all the way and getting out of L.A. would do Jack good even if it was only for a day.

Don't know the area well but then there are perks to working at a place like CTU; called in a favor and had aerial shots of the area delivered to my desk. Did a careful study like we're trained to do and I'd had our best route planned even with traffic factored in.

I hauled him out of his house at two, we needed the extra time to get down there and possibly avoid the crush of traffic. Called his place an hour earlier to let him know, but it still was a surprise he was presentable.

He barely said two words to me on the drive down. Not much during the game either, except to say he was heading to the bathroom. I almost wanted to follow him, though I had no idea why. Not too long ago I hated the man, and now? Now I'm trying to make him live again.

I had to force food on him, nothing fancy, just a hamburger because I knew he probably wasn't eating. I could see it in the hollow look of his skin and the way his clothes floated more freely than before. Don't think anyone's looking after him and doubt he'd let anyone who didn't know try.

He still didn't eat till I said, "Eat, Jack." There was no room for argument. Odd to see him listening to my orders when it'd been the other way around for so long, he was a good head of CTU if a little rogue in his methods.

He ate in slow bites. The water fared better as it was gone by the end of the fifth inning and he'd bought himself another. I don't know why I paid more attention to Jack than the game. Maybe because he was the only face I knew, but if anything, I should have forgotten him more easily.

By the end of the ninth, Jack showed more life. He actually seemed interested in the game or maybe it was just what I wanted to believe. Either way, there seemed to be a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips as we merged into the crowd and left the stadium. It was silent mostly, I didn't know what to say to fill the silence but he surprised me.

"Almeida, these are your famous Cubbies you always go on about? Damn, they can barely bat their way out of an inning." One hand tucked into his pocket, the other hanging loosely by his side, he was the picture of relaxed; the way I'd seen him countless times before but now with a softer edge.

He was back or maybe he was acting but it had to be better than the silence he'd wrapped himself in. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. They had a bad night or maybe you're just bad luck." Smile at him and things between us were never this easy but we start from square one with every new crisis, this shouldn't be a surprise.

"Care to prove that? You got any more game tickets, I'll come with." Head cocked to the side and looking at me like I'm the only important thing in his world. I know I'm not. His daughter, his wife, and those morals he has are the important things. But maybe… maybe I'm his tie to reality. Damnit, I wish I had more tickets…

I shake my head, a regretful grin on my lips. "Sorry, only got tickets for tonight. Maybe some other time?" He almost seems to deflate a little, the effort of being normal too much for him, and I watch him struggle with himself. He nodded and ducked his head for the rest of the short walk to the car.

We'd reached my car, he walked to the other side, and the smile he gave me was wan. "It's alright. Tonight was nice even if I had to be at a Cubs game." He slid inside and I had to shake my head at him. Still Jack Bauer no matter what he's been through.

Slip inside too and start the car, pull out and head to the hotel. Afternoon's already been more interesting than I bargained for, wonder what the night will bring.


End file.
